This invention relates to electrosurgery and in particular to apparatus and circuitry for changing the power delivered from an electrosurgical generator.
Prior to the invention of the subject application, the capability of changing output power delivered from an electrosurgical generator has been provided by controls located at the keyboard or control panel of the generator. At the handpiece held by the surgeon, a capability has been provided of changing the mode of operation of the generator--that is, two switches have been employed at the handpiece where either the cut or coagulation mode of operation could be selected. This is a very convenient feature in that the surgeon can change the mode of operation while in the sterile field of the surgical procedure without having to return to the control panel of the generator, which is outside the sterile field. However, in order to effect a change in the level of the power delivered by the generator, it has been necessary to return to the generator to effect such a change. Since it would be very desirable to be able to also effect this type change in the sterile field, the apparatus of the prior art has had a shortcoming in this respect.